The 7 deadly sins of driving you must stop committing

Here are 7 driving sins that are not only unsafe (and possibly illegal), but they drive everyone around you crazy

by
Jodi Lai | May 1, 2014

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Rules of the road are mostly a common sense affair, but even after a short drive to the corner store, it becomes apparent that common sense isn’t very common after all.

Here are 7 driving sins that are not only unsafe (and possibly illegal), but they drive everyone around you crazy:

Making wide turns into other lanes: Keep to your own lane when turning. It’s the safest and most logical thing do to. If you need to be in the other lane, finish your turn first and then signal your intentions to change lanes. This way, you minimize the chances of an accident with other turning vehicles.

Parking like you own the place: If you take up two spots and park crooked or really close to the car next to you, the world hates you. It only takes five seconds to correct your terrible parking job, which isn’t a lot to ask.

Being ungrateful when people do nice things: When other drivers do nice things like let you into their lane or onto the road from a driveway, all it takes is a small wave to show some gratitude. Small acts of gratitude go a long way because people will do nice things more often if they are acknowledged. It will make the roads a better, happier place.

Driving too slow in the fast lane: The left lane on the highway should only be used for passing. On regular roads, the left lane is considered the fast lane, so if you’re driving to go 20 km/h under the speed limit, stick to the right-hand lane.

Littering and throwing stuff out your windows: Littering is generally rude behaviour, but chucking garbage out your car could also be dangerous. Just don’t litter. Period. Save your garbage and throw it out later. Drive-thrus, shopping plazas and gas stations generally have garbage and recycling cans set up, so make good use of them.

Not paying attention: You think it will only take a second to send a text message, but that one second could be the difference between an uneventful drive and a crippling injury. When you’re swerving around because you’re looking at your lap or sitting stationary at a green light that changed while you weren’t paying attention, the risks to yourself and other drivers are huge. No message or notification is that important that it should distract you from the very important task of driving safely.

Blocking intersections: If there’s no room to enter an intersection, don’t do it. Just wait behind the line and only move forward when you can safely pass the line on the other side. When drivers think they are more important than everyone else and block the intersection, it creates gridlock, which isn’t helpful to anyone. It’s also unsafe because emergency vehicles may need to pass by, and if you’re blocking the intersection, you could be the reason why someone isn’t getting the medical attention or help they desperately need. (Another note about emergency vehicles: When you see and hear sirens, drivers must pull over to the right. Not stop in the middle of the road or keep driving — pull over to right.)

Are there other driving sins that drive you crazy? Tell us about them in the comment section below or tweet us at @Drivingdotca